Writers Conference Schedule at a Glance
Quick Information
- Conference check-in begins Friday, November 13 at 9 a.m. and sessions conclude with an Author Fair on November 14 from 2-4 p.m.
- Register for the Conference. Individual sessions are first come, first seated.
- View full descriptions of all sessions in our calendar.
Tip: Click the star next to events you’re interested in to easily keep track of the sessions you don't want to miss! - All events are at Central Resource Library.
Friday, Nov 13
9 a.m.
- Library opens: Conference Check-in (Lobby)
9:30 a.m.
- Welcome and Remarks
10 – 10:45 a.m.
- Jumpstart Your Novel! With KanMoWriCo (Carmack)
- Of elegies and lamentations. A peek behind the open curtain. with José Faus (Logan)
- Tips for the Armchair Historian with Vanessa Riley (Conference Rm 20)
10 – 11:30 a.m.
- Writing Chapter books for Young Children Workshop with Dawn Quigley (Conference Rm 4)
11 – 11:45 a.m.
- Romance Panel Discussion: Mid-America Romance Authors (Carmack)
- 3 Steps to Refill Your Creative Well with Portia Stewart (Logan)
- The Black Indian Heritage and Inheritance of a Family and a Country with Shonda Buchanan (Conference Rm 20)
12 -1 p.m.
- Open Mic with José Faus (Carmack)
1-1:45 p.m.
- Panel Discussion Jordan Stempleman, Chris La Tray and Shonda Buchanan moderated by Nina Simon (Carmack)
- Critique Partner Speed Matchup with KanMoWriCo (Logan)
- Writing for Kids: Every Word Counts! with Sue Lowell Gallion (Conference Rm 20)
1-2:30 p.m.
- It was Agatha All Along: The Science of the Plot Twist Workshop with Lindsay Kennedy (Conference Rm 1)
- Transcription Workshop with José Faus (Conference Rm 2)
- Let’s Make a Chapbook Workshop with Beth Gulley (Conference Rm 4)
2-2:45 p.m.
- What Agents Are Looking for in a Query Letter with Haley Casey (Carmack)
- Tighten Your Plot with the Four Act Mystery with M.A. Monnin (Logan)
- Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Traditional Publishing But Were Afraid to Ask with Megan Bannen (Conference Rm 20)
3-4:30 p.m.
- Romance Workshop TBD (Conference Rm 1)
- Promise of the Premise Workshop with Nina Simon (Conference Rm 2)
- Movement for Writers: Walking a Mile in Their Shoes Workshop with Lindsay Kennedy (Conference Rm 4)
3-3:45 p.m.
- Writing for Children Panel Discussion: Dawn Quigley, Haley Casey, Sue Lowell Gallion, Lisa Harkrader (Carmack)
- Navigating Faith and Fiction: Writing Through Dilemmas with Grace and Truth with Vanessa Riley (Logan)
- Poetry as a Spiritual Practice with Chris La Tray (Conference Rm 20)
3-5 p.m.
- Writers Row (located near Adult Nonfiction)
4-4:45 p.m.
- Genre Mixology: Shaking Up Readers' Expectations with Megan Bannen (Carmack)
- Growing Pains: Creating Characters Middle Grade Readers Connect With with Lisa Harkrader (Conference Rm 20)
4 – 5:30 p.m.
- Exhibition Reception
Saturday, Nov. 14
9 a.m.
- Library opens: Conference Check-in (Lobby)
9-10 a.m.
- Writers' Meet-and-Greet with KanMoWriCo (Carmack)
10-10:45 a.m.
- Mystery Panel: Vanessa Riley, Amanda Sellet, Nina Simon (Carmack)
- Critique Partner Speed Match-Up with KanMoWriCo (Logan)
- An Ojibwe Author's Journey into Writing: Sharing Lessons Learned Along the Way with Dawn Quigley (Conference Rm 20)
10-11:30 a.m.
- Play as a Creative Strategy (Not a Distraction) Workshop with Marnette Falley (Conference Rm 1)
- Looks Like Prose But Moves Like a Poem Workshop with Jordan Stempleman (Conference Rm 2)
- Writing the Cultural Heritage Poem and Personal Narrative Workshop with Shonda Buchanan (Conference Rm 4)
10 a.m.-12 p.m.
- Writers Row (located near Adult Nonfiction)
11-11:45 a.m.
- Let’s Get Critical with Megan Bannen and Amanda Sellet (Carmack)
- Becoming Becoming Little Shell with Chris La Tray (Logan)
- Set Yourself Up for Success at In-Person Events with Lori Fairchild(Conference Rm 20)
12-1 p.m.
- Open Mic with Shonda Buchanan (Carmack)
1-1:45 p.m.
- Crowdfunding Your Book: Goals, Growth, Gauging Interest with Leia Barrett (Conference Rm 20)
1-2:30 p.m.
- Training Your Attention Workshop with Chris La Tray (Conference Rm 1)
- The Four Ps Workshop with Vanessa Riley (Conference Rm 2)
- Children’s Authors Unite! Workshop with RAW (Conference Rm 4)
- Building Consistency Without Crushing Your Spirit Workshop with Marnette Falley (Logan)
2-2:45 p.m.
- Art Imitates Life: Finding Your Story in History and Real Life with Giselle Anatol (Logan)
- The Bestselling Novel of Your (Real) Life with Nina Simon (Conference Room 20)
2-4 p.m.
- Author Fair (Carmack)
